Reason Of Choosing Kitchen Flooring
Kitchens get a lot of wear and tear. They need to be tough. But they don’t have to look ugly, thanks to the growing range of kitchen flooring options available today. Many types of floor coverings are long-lasting and stylish but also easy to clean and maintain. Making them a fantastic choice in a busy room that sees plenty of spills from cooking ingredients and puddles from moist ingredients when you’re preparing meals.
In fact, it doesn’t take much imagination to see the kitchen as the heart of your home. When it comes to flooring design ideas. You can add warmth with wood or stone tiles or practicality with vinyl floors that look like their more expensive counterparts. And if you want something special for your floor. You’ll find it in the range of kitchen flooring products marketed today.
Kitchen flooring is an investment worth making right from the start. So you need to know what types are available and what features they offer. Here’s a look at ten of the most popular types with tips on how to choose wisely when selecting your new floor for cooking, dining, or relaxing in front of the TV with friends and family.
1. Ceramic Tiles:
These are some of the more expensive options but they’re lovely to have in your kitchen’s design scheme. Because they give rooms a traditional feel that often evokes feelings of warm memories involving food preparation gone by. You’ll find tiles made from porcelain, stoneware, or earthenware, with the latter typically being unglazed. Depending on the manufacturer and style, these tiles can go for anywhere from $3 to $75 per square foot. Depending upon their size, thickness, and material makeup.
You can use ceramic tiles in any part of your kitchen’s flooring plan, save perhaps the bathroom or laundry room. You could choose them based on a color scheme you have in mind. But they work best when used in monochromatic design schemes because they come in relatively few colors. Compared to other types of kitchen flooring materials.
Ceramic tile is hardy stuff that resists stains well but not all glazes are created equal. Some are more resistant to moisture than others. So it pays to read labels carefully before buying to make sure your tiles will stand up to the wear and tear that spills in your kitchen.
2. Natural Stone Tiles:
This type of kitchen flooring is elegant, luxurious and adds a touch of class to any room where it’s installed. You’ll find stone tiles are made from materials such as slate, travertine, or marble. If you want something less expensive, you can choose glass tile which simulates the look of natural stone but costs much less. When installed on countertops along with backsplashes, these materials transform kitchens into beautiful showplaces.
One drawback: Stone floors aren’t practical for high-traffic areas so they’re best reserved for rooms where kids and pets don’t have free rein. They’re also not very good at hiding stains. So be prepared to spend time cleaning up messes that would simply wipe away with other types of floor coverings. Some stone tiles require grout for installation but it’s worth the expense. Because this material will make your kitchen much easier to clean when you’ve got spills on your flooring.
3. Laminate Floor Tiles:
This type of flooring is one of the most popular choices in kitchens today because it’s affordable. Resistant to water damage, and easy to install. You can find laminate in a range of colors, styles, and finishes that are similar in appearance to natural materials like wood or vinyl. It comes in planks that are anywhere from 1/8 to 1/2 inches in thickness. And you can find it for about $3 per square foot at most home improvement stores.
Laminate is easy to clean and resistant to water damage, with some brands offering warranties of up to 25 years on the finish. It’s also mold and mildew resistant and stands up well to spills and stains. Despite its name, laminate is a type of vinyl flooring that is manufactured using compressing techniques rather than laminating processes.
4. Linoleum:
If money is tight but you want your kitchen flooring to look nice, consider linoleum. This material has been around for more than 100 years. Yet it still looks fresh today because manufacturers keep coming out with new styles. You can find this floor covering for about $1 per square foot, which is very reasonable given its durable construction.
At one time, linoleum was installed using glue but these days it’s available in tiles that are similar to vinyl or ceramic tiles. It comes in both sheet form and tile form. The latter is more common because it offers better-looking results when installed without grout. This material is very easy to maintain thanks to its minimal porosity. So dirt, grease, and other spills will come right up with soap, water, and a mop or broom.
5. Linoleum Tiles:
These are an alternative choice to the standard sheet version of linoleum flooring. Because they offer more flexibility when it comes to design. Many homeowners like these tiles because they offer ease of care and durability. You’d find in sheet vinyl flooring, but with a customized look.
Linoleum is installed using adhesive, which means it’s possible to incorporate custom decorative patterns into your kitchen floor plans. Generally, linoleum tiles come in 12 x 12-inch squares that can be easily cut to accommodate odd-shaped rooms if necessary. The price for this type of flooring is only slightly higher than what you’d pay for sheet vinyl. So you might want to consider this if budget is an important consideration for your renovation plans.